Jeremiah Jurkiewicz presides over the College of Staten Island's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). He counts himself fortunate that when he came out as homosexual to his parents, they did not estrange themselves from him - in fact they assured him that they would continue to be supportive parents no matter what.
This type of reception is not generally the case for other young people who choose to reveal their true sexual identities to friends and family, so with that in mind Jeremiah and his GSA officers provide a safe space where young homosexuals can come together to socialize, take up community initiatives and openly discuss the challenges they face in a heterosexual society. The challenge of loneliness is predominant during the holiday season because although families are expected to gather in an atmosphere of love and goodwill, many gay people remain marginalized or outright rejected by their kin.
Jeremiah regrets that at this point in time the GSA does not directly have resources to aid members in need of community during this critical time, however he does give helpful suggestions about where help can be found.
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